Frantisek Kupka (1871-1957) The Blue, 1913 oil on canvas 73 × 60 cm signed lower left: Kupka The painting is in an excellent condition Total buyer's commission (to hammer price) is only 3%. Provenance: - purchased by Jindřich Waldes directly from František Kupka (inv. no. W 1913). The entrepreneur Jindřich Waldes (owner of the Koh-i-noor factory that specialised in manufacture of buttons and press studs) was a close friend, benefactor and promoter of František Kupka, whom he first met in 1919. - confiscated in 1939 by the Nazis and deposited at the Zemská gallery and subsequently National gallery in Prague (inv. no. O2144) - 1996 restituted to the heirs of Jindřich Waldes (so called Waldes restitution) No Czech painting of such an extraordinary quality has ever appeared on domestic or international art market. The blue is an indisputable icon of Czech Modern art. The painting has been dated 1913, and will be included under this date in catalogue raisonée of Kupka‘s oil paintings, that is currently being prepared by Adolf Loos Apartment and Gallery in Prague. THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY PROF. PHDR. JAROMÍR ZEMINA AND PROF. PHDR. TOMÁŠ VLČEK CSC.